PanamaLeaks Case
ISLAMABAD: All eyes are on Makhdoom Ali Khan.He is going to respond to the 'challenge' set by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s lawyer Naeem Bokhari on Wednesday.
Mr Bokhari prolonged his arguments for the 16 long hours where he put around 61 questions for the Sharifs’ counsels in PanamaLeaks case.
“I’ll live up to the expectations ofmy client, Inshallah,”Mr Makhdoom, who is representing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, told this correspondent. A pensive looking Makhdoom Ali Khan called a spade a spade that hewould restrict himself to issue of Panama papers as well as the matter of disqualification of the primeminister.
“We gave our best in PanamaLeaks case,” PTI Chairman Imran Khan, who was perhaps happy with performance of his legal team on Wednesday, told this correspondent. “We hope that the top court will come up to the nation’s expectations. Ball is in judges' court now --let's see if they would come hard on the respondents --it’s Sharifs’ responsibility, not ours, to come up with documentary proof in support of their case,” Mr Khan observed who whispered time and again in Sheikh Rashid’s ears who was sitting next to him.
Wednesday started with unusual event when journalists, politicians and legislators, who were waiting outside the CourtroomNo 2, stunned to knowthat around two dozen people were already occupying front seats for the VVIPs. MNA Dr Shireen Mazari informed the learned judges how the boys of special branch were harassing them early in the morning every day. But it all happened due to less space in the small hall of the court where more than 250 people were present while it has had only 82 seats.
In his 40-minute long arguments Naeem Bokhari concluded his case which started with money laundering, corruption, companies named Panama, London Flats and Sharif brothers’ properties in Dubai, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and London, ending up on issue of disqualification of Premier Nawaz. Then it was Azam Swati who told Naeem Bokhari that “man you have washed over everything—we are leaving the rest for worthy judges to decide the case.” Sheikh Rashid,who is a party, in this case, amused the judges and observers in his 75- minute long meandering arguments.
He looked like a politicianwhowas addressing a press conference on the rostrum in front of fiveworthy judges of the apex court who always withdrew attention of Mr Sheikh to keep focus on his case. Even at one moment Justice Azmat Saeed expressed his displeasure telling the audience that “this court wants seriousness. We know how to deal with the matter.”
Then it was Sheikh who quoted a couple of relevant judgments in support of his arguments how prime minister was violating the Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution by not telling the truth to the nation. The completely packed Room No 2 also witnessed a bit suffocation even a 74-year-old bureaucrat came across a situation which could be compared with an acute respiratory infection.
Female workers of PTI always dominated in the courtroomwhere party’s lawyers tried to grab more seats installed in front lines. During the course of arguments, Senator Nihal Hashmiwas sitting behind Imran Khan but found trying to find alternative place as he was almost sandwitched by PTI top leaders. Azam Khan Swati and Ishaq Khan Khakwaniwere discussing the overall events happened during the course of proceedings. Mr Khakwani of PTI, Anusha Rahman of PML-N and Salman Akram Raja, Counsel for Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz always seemed busy in taking notes of hearings.
MNA Shafqat Mehmood and Information Minister Marriyam Aurangzeb were also witnessing the proceedings in the courtroom. Before primeminister’s counsel started his arguments, Tauseef Asif of Jamaat-e-Islami pleaded the court to let himclub a point seeking PM Sharif's trial to his petition. It was the moment when Imran Khan whispered in JI Ameer Sirajul Haq’s ears that his counsel should keep focus on Sharif brothers’ case first. Mr Haq rushed to the dice and directed his counsel to take time from the court for consultation till today. But the party seemed not clear on this issue yet. Before JI confusion started, exhausted Naeem Bokhari left for hospital to get his checkup. He left for two hours at 10:20am but never came back despite the promise till the case adjourned for today.
Dozens of lawyers were looking for the seats and it happened for the first time perhaps when MNA Daniyal Aziz witnessed proceedings while standing next to Sharifs’ counsels who occupied front chairs over there. He was also even using his cell phones perhaps sending text messages to someone. Carrying cell phones in the courtroom was prohibited though.
Then a pride moment came when a packed courtroom heard names of senior journalists as Umar Cheema, Shahzeb Khanzada,Hamid Mir, Kashif Abbasi and Sohail Warriach for their work pertaining to the certain issues discussed by the respondents, particularly Sheikh Rashid request to invite Mr Cheema as friend of the court. The case of little girl Tayyaba was also remained in focus of hundreds of lawyers, clients, journalists and victim families on the premises of the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Many lawyers were giving divided opinion on the five-day proceedings in Leaks’ case. Some of them believed that a commission might be formed to find answers of tough questions. But some were of the view that the court could also reject the petition while a fewof themwere hoping for a powerful judgment on this very issue. But there was a strong and popular opinion that the Sharifs’ Counsels would come under strong pressure and could face tough questions from the learned judges. Theywere of the view that burden of proof was on the respondents. So keep following the case today.